Tangled: The Series: Light at the end of the Tunnel
by MK Princess
Summary: Rapunzel leaves Corona to follow the rocks, while Varian leaves Corona to free his father. As their paths cross, they realize that they both are connected to the black rocks. Will freeing Quirin help solve the mystery of Rapunzel's hair, the moon, and the sun?
1. Goodbye

I stepped onto the rock that dug into the ground. A light dawn breeze blew into my hair, causing it to fan out a little bit behind me. The Corona wall was destroyed, clearing a path for me to discover what the black rocks so desperately wanted to show me, to end the unsurety and answer the questions about my hair returning six months ago.

But before I could set out on my journey, I needed to prepare.

I turned around.

"Cass, Eugene, should we go back to the castle to pack?" I asked them, breaking the still silence of before.

"Whatever you want to do, Raps," Cassandra replied. Her pet owl, which she named Owl, swooped down from the early morning sky and onto her forearm.

"I'm with you, Rapunzel," Eugene said. He smiled at me lovingly, and a sense of calm washed over me. As long as Eugene was by my side, I knew everything would be alright.

"Your mother and I will accompany you back to the palace, Rapunzel," Dad said. I knew he wanted to make it up to me- locking me in my bedroom, directly lying to me- and demonstrating stifling cruelty over the past year. I hadn't completely forgiven him, but I didn't hate him. Dad wasn't perfect- not at all- but he was my father, and I loved him.

We went back to the castle. On the way home, Cass, Eugene, and I had agreed that we would leave tomorrow at dawn. We were going to follow the rocks; go where they wanted me to go, see what they wanted me to see. We were going to answer all the questions, and solve the mystery of my hair.

I climbed up the stairs to my bedroom and collapsed onto my bed. I thought I wouldn't drift off because of all that had happened on my birthday, but the day's events had thoroughly exhausted me, so I was in a deep slumber within a few minutes.

When I opened my eyes, sunlight was streaming through my window- or rather, what was left of it from when Eugene, Cassandra, and the Snuggly Duckling pub "thugs" broke me out of my room. I scratched my head, and suddenly, everything came flooding back to me- the rocks, Varian, and everything my father had done- I remembered. I slumped against my pillows and sighed. I felt I wasn't ready for tomorrow- but then, I thought about the black rocks pointing me out of Corona, and about how they wanted to show me something important that would finally answer all my questions- and I realized that I had to be.

I headed out to the royal terrace, where Mom, Dad, Cass, and Eugene were sitting at the breakfast table, nibbling on fruits, pancakes, and other breakfast foods. I took a seat and grabbed a cinnamon roll from a gilded platter at the table's center. I ripped off a sugary chunk and rolled it in my hand.

"Rapunzel, you should start gathering food, water, a toothbrush, change of clothes, and anything else you want to take with you," Cassandra said. Owl flew over and perched on the table, tearing a small bit of the lace tablecloth with his talons. Mom's eyes widened over the rim of her teacup, but then, as Cass began to stroke Owl's feathers, she merely smiled. Dad winced at the torn placemat, and clearly was itching to change the tablecloth. I grinned at him, and at that, he laughed. A real laugh. His blue eyes shone with glee, and the lines under them crinkled up joyfully.

I looked down at my hand. The piece of cinnamon roll had gotten so warm in my palm that that it was stuck to my hand and the table. I tried to pry my hand free, to no avail.

Then, everyone at the table was laughing. Cass smacked the table's surface as she gasped for breath through laughter. Eugene laughed so hard that he fell out of his chair, causing us to laugh all the more. Mom choked on her tea in her attempts to keep from laughing, making Dad's grin a little bit wider. I giggled and swept a stray lock of golden hair out of my face. It felt so good just to laugh, and for that one moment, to not worry about what was to come. For that one moment, everything was perfect.

And then that moment ended.

I walked down the cold stone steps to the castle dungeons. The captain of the guard had insisted that he himself accompany me, but I had argued, stating that there were already multiple guards down there patrolling the cells, and that if anything happened, they would be right there. Besides, he was still injured from when a monster version of Ruddiger- Varian's pet raccoon- threw him forcefully to the ground.

It was cold in the dungeons, so I clasped my dark cloak for warmth as I proceeded into a dimly lit, dank hallway. I halted at the corner of it, and took a deep breath. To encourage me, Pascal hugged my shoulder with his tiny chameleon-hands.

Around the hallway turn, there were jail cells with fearsome criminals inside them that sent shivers up my spine. One grabbed his cell bars and growled at me throatily, while another cracked their knuckles and gave me a gruesome sneer. Confident-looking guards were standing in front of every three cells to make sure the prisoners didn't try to escape.

I wandered down the hall of cells until I came to the end of it. I shut my eyes. I hoped against hope he wouldn't be waiting for me when I opened them. But he was, just as I knew he would be.

Sitting on his dingy cot in the very last cell was Varian. There was a rather thick wall composed entirely of black bricks putting space between his cell and those of the other prisoners so he had nobody to talk to except for his pet raccoon, Ruddiger, who was permitted in the cell with him.

Varian was slumped up against the wall, with his head hung low, his eyes downcast. Ruddiger restlessly curled around Varian's large feet.

I approached him nervously, wringing my hands. I just stood in front of him silently for a few seconds- but they seemed like elongated minutes.

Varian lifted his gaze from the floor and saw me. Pure sadness and hurt flashed across his face for a brief instant, but then it was replaced by a manic and evil grin.

"Hello, _Your Highness_ ," he said, appearing to be calm, although I knew he wasn't. He said "Your Highness" as if it was an insult rather than a royal title. In a way, it was. My mind wandered back to when I first met Varian, about six months ago.

" _I am so sorry, Your Highness_ ,"

" _Your Highness? Wait, you know who I am?"_

" _Uh, how could I not…. Huh! Look at your hair- Your Highness,"_

" _Oh, please. Just_ _ **Rapunzel**_ _,"_

I took a sharp intake of breath.

"I- I…" I stammered, not knowing what to say. I knew words wouldn't fix anything. I had broken a promise, and he had made me pay.

"At a loss for words?" Varian sneered. Ruddiger stared at me sadly. I felt bad for him.

"Are you embarking on your grand journey today, _Princess_?" he continued smarmily. This conversation was too much for both of us, and we knew it. I was on the verge of tears, and Varian was going to keep pushing me until I broke. When would his torturing me be enough? Suddenly, my mind answered my question.

" _That's_ _ **enough**_ _, Varian,"_

" _It's not enough until you endure the same amount of pain and agony I have!"_ his warped voice echoed in my head. I shuddered.

"What is it? Is the ever-confident "lost princess" finally scared?" he replied to my action, calling me by my old title. He ran a black gloved hand through his greasy head of hair.

"You think you haven't already scared me enough?" I gasped. Varian chuckled to himself.

"Considering what you did to me… No, I don't think I have,"

I drew a ragged breath.

"Varian- I- I- I'm-" My voice broke. Tears welled up in my green eyes.

"I'm _sorry_ ," I dashed out of the hall, without looking behind me. I didn't get to see Varian's facial expression. I wondered if he was amused by my emotion, or if at least a small part of him regretted making me feel that way.

I regretted doing the same to him.

I ran up the stairs, my bare feet slapping against the stone steps. I stumbled into my bedroom through my tear-blurred vision. Eugene was waiting for me- he had turned away from my window and had his arms open wide. I sprinted into them, placing my blond head against his chest.

After a few minutes of crying, I lifted my head off of him. He looked at me, concerned, and then said,

"It's okay, Rapunzel, it's okay-"

"No- no, it's not," I sniffled. A couple of my tears fell onto my bed.

"It will be, Blondie. It will be," he replied soothingly. He took my hand in his.

"Now, you tell me everything he said to you, and I'll tell you how he's wrong," Eugene said, smiling at me a little.

"Not- not right- not right now," I said. I felt lightheaded and a bit dizzy from crying too much. Eugene looked slightly hurt.

"Rapunzel, you know you can tell me anything, right?" he asked.

"I- I- I- I know- I know I can- but…" I trailed off.

"I don't feel so good,"

Eugene instantly arose.

"Don't worry, Rapunzel, I'll be right back- I'm going to get you some more pillows- and- and a drink of water," he said. I didn't want him to leave. By the time I reached out for him, though, he had already gone.

I wept.

Eugene had brought up the pillows and water hours ago, and I was staring out my window. Pascal was taking a nap on a cerulean cushion beside me. He grinned in his sleep- he must have been having a happy dream.

A warm breeze blew onto my tearstained face. I gauged that it was three or four in the afternoon. In about twelve hours, Cass, Eugene, and I would have already started our journey. I sighed.

I tried to read, but my mind wandered away from the words written on the story's pages. I was dreading leaving Corona to follow the rocks. It was all I could think about- my attempts to push the thought into the back of my mind we're futile.

I forced myself to gather my belongings. I packed my journal, a sketchpad, some paints and paintbrushes, and a few pens. I grabbed some sewing and knitting needles, along with yarn and thread. I got three changes of clothes, tooth-cleaning powder, and a hairbrush. I was counting on Cass and Eugene to pack food and water.

I stuffed all of my things into a burlap sack that had been lying in the corner of my room. Eugene must have put it there. I looped some twine around the top of the bag- Eugene must have supplied me with that too. The twine was so rough that tying the sack closed seared my hands and gave me rope burn.

I shook my hands at my sides as I walked down to the royal kitchens for a snack. The sun was starting to set. I would be leaving Corona when it rose.

I took a shiny red apple from a bowl of assorted fruits. I sat outside in the setting sun munching on it. I was scared. I didn't want to leave my home and live life on the road. I was afraid of what the rocks had to show me, partly because I couldn't fathom what that might be. I was connected to the rocks because I possed sundrop magic,- at least, I thought I did- so what would it take to stop the turmoil of the black rocks once and for all?

Suddenly, the ground beneath my feet quaked. I clambered away from that patch of grass. A millisecond later, a blue spike pushed itself out of the ground. After it formed, it quickly turned dark. A black rock.

I dropped my half-eaten apple and inched closer to the rock. My hair began to glow bright yellow, and the rock bright blue. I didn't dare touch it- I knew if I did, it would create an enormous reaction. I had discovered yesterday that if I gripped the rock and didn't let go of it, a more enormous reaction would be created, and it would be one that pained and weakened me. But I knew this was a sign. I had to leave, whether I was scared or not.

I headed inside, where Cass and Eugene were waiting for me.

"Have you packed, Rapunzel?" Cassandra asked. She was carrying a sack filled with items we'd need for our journey. Eugene was carrying a bag of his own.

"Uh… Yeah, Cass. The bag's in my room," I replied.

"Do we have food and water gathered?"

"Yes, Rapunzel, we do," Eugene answered. Pascal yawned on my shoulder.

"You should go get some sleep, Raps. We'll be leaving at dawn," Cass said.

"Yeah, I'm going to go rest up," Eugene said as he strode out of the room.

"I wasn't talking to you, Fitzherbert," Cass called after him. I smiled. Through everything that had happened, Cass and Eugene hadn't changed.

I couldn't fall asleep. I stared at the moon, thinking of the rocks and what was to come. I tossed and turned, but sleep just wouldn't come. I thought about Varian, and how he was right below me, in the dungeons. I thought about how I had left things so _broken_ with him, and how it was my fault.

I wasn't ready to leave, but I had no other choice. There was so much on my plate, but only more would come. I thought that I had cried myself out today, but I was wrong. So much was going on, and I didn't have any time to take it all in. I cried for all that was happening. Why couldn't _something_ be easy for me?

I awoke to Eugene's loving face.

"Rapunzel… Rapunzel, you've got to wake up," he whispered, gently shaking me to rouse me. The sky was a golden-orange- it was early in the morning.

"Rapunzel, Cassandra and I are going to saddle up Max and Fidella. You get dressed and then say goodbye to your parents. After that, we can leave," Eugene said, striding over to the door. Before leaving, though, he walked back to me and said,

"I love you, Sunshine," He kissed my forehead. I gave him a weak smile, although I wasn't happy at all.

I changed into my purple dress and donned my dark cloak. I picked up the burlap sack holding all my belongings and walked down the hall to Mom and Dad's room. I slowly pushed open the door to see if they were already awake.

They were. Dad sat on the edge of the bed in silence with his head hung low. Mom was slumped into the bed's pillows, reading a maroon-covered book. She swept a wisp of her brown hair behind her ear as I entered the room.

"We didn't know you were leaving now, honey! Your father and I were going to say goodbye at the courtyard!" Mom exclaimed. At that, Dad looked up at me with a sad smile. There were tears in his eyes. I walked over to him and gave him a big hug.

"I won't let you down, Dad," I whispered.

"I love you,"

"I love you too, sweetheart," Dad replied. He planted a kiss atop my blond head.

"I'm sorry for what I did-"

"Dad, it's okay," What Dad had done wasn't fine, but I didn't want him to be more upset than he already was.

I climbed onto the bed and approached Mom. I saw Dad leave the room, his blue eyes shining with tears. I didn't try and stop him. I understood that he needed some time to himself.

I turned to Mom. She was pursing her lips to keep them from quivering, and tears were in her eyes- they were green, just like mine.

"I packed my journal… To record all of my adventures," I said, attempting to lighten the mood of the goodbye.

"Your adventures will be wonderful, honey," Mom replied with a bittersweet smile. We both sighed, at a loss for words.

"There's more in me," I said at the same time that Mom said,

"There's more in you," We giggled awkwardly. Then there was a still silence.

"Go _explore_ , Rapunzel," Mom said in a serious tone.

"Go follow those rocks, but enjoy seeing the world," I nodded.

"I only ask that you be safe, be smart, and above all-"

"Be true to myself," I finished, grinning a bit.

"I will, Mom,"

"I love you,"

I love you too, sweetie," Mom whispered.

We embraced. As we pulled out of the hug, Mom put her hand on my cheek, caressing it. We stayed just like that for a moment- mother and daughter.

"You go catch up with Cassandra and Eugene," Mom said. I got off the bed and walked to the bedroom's door.

"Oh- and don't forget Pascal!" Mom chuckled. All the sadness and uncertainty from the start of our conversation seemed to be gone, but I knew Mom was just hiding it- being brave.

"I'm going to miss you, little fella," Mom said, tickling Pascal and smiling weakly. She was trying hard to hold herself together.

"I'll meet you at the courtyard in a few minutes, Rapunzel," she said.

"Okay, Mom," I replied. Tears welled up in my eyes. I loved Mom and Dad so much.

I left the room and went out to the castle courtyard. Cass and Eugene were there, with Max and Fidella. Our belongings were attached to the horses' saddles, but some of our things were inside the saddlebags. I heaved my bag to Max and put the sack on his saddle with a thick, tight knot.

"You're _sure_ we've got everything?" I asked Cassandra. She gave me a curt nod. I guess saying goodbye to her dad must have been painful. I understood she didn't want to talk.

I sighed and sat on the ground with my legs crossed, waiting for Cass's dad and my parents to arrive at the courtyard to watch us leave.

Eugene sat down beside me.

"Rapunzel, it's going to be fine," he said, attempting to console me. I took a deep breath.

"Is it really going to be?" I asked, looking at him doubtfully.

"Yes, yes it is," he replied. He took my hand in his.

"Hey, you've got me," He grinned. I still frowned. Eugene sighed.

"Rapunzel, you can do anything. I know leaving your parents is hard- but they are so _proud of you_ , Rapunzel. Anyone would be. And they know that you can handle yourself out there in the world. You're going to be fine," I smiled at him sadly.

"I love you, Eugene," I replied. I leaned over to him and kissed him on the lips.

When we finished the kiss, I saw my parents and the captain of the guard. All three of them were tears-eyed. The captain was in a wheelchair, and in physical pain. More noticeable, though, was the emotional pain he was in, caused by the fact that Cassandra was leaving him. Cass's dad gruffly cleared his throat, trying as hard as ever to seem tough and unfeeling. I arose. So did Eugene. For a brief moment, his deep brown eyes locked gaze with my spring-green grass ones. He made me feel a little more confident about what was to come. Eugene and I were partners for life- if he was by my side, I knew I would always feel more safe than if he wasn't there for me.

"Come on, Raps. You get on Max with Eugene," Cass said to me. She mounted Fidella. Eugene got on Maximus. I followed suit, sitting on Max directly behind Eugene. Then I leapt off to give my parents one last hug.

I ran to Mom and Dad. I wrapped my arms around both of them, holding them close. I never wanted to let go. I wanted to smell Mom's lavender perfume and Dad's brown leather vest forever- just to be nestled in the safety of my parents and their love forever. I didn't want to leave them.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Cass jump off Fidella and hug her dad. They smiled at each other, and the captain tussled Cassandra's dark hair, blinking away tears.

At last, I had to withdraw from the embrace. I drew a shaggy breath.

"I love you," I whispered to them. My vision blurred with tears as I stumbled onto Maximus. I turned around so when Max started moving, I could still see Mom and Dad. Max began to trot forwards. He picked up a little speed, and soon I was about two feet farther away from my parents. Mom put her hands on Dad's right shoulder. They looked heartbroken, as was I. Tears streamed down my face as Max pulled me farther and farther away from my loving parents, who I had only been with for a year. My loving parents, who I truly wanted to spend every day with, and who and I wanted to know more and love more. My loving parents, who would not be there to comfort me about what was to come.

My loving parents, who were now out of sight.


	2. All the Difference

"Here ya go, kid," the captain of Corona's guard said to me as he set a steaming bowl of broth inside my cell. I kept my back turned to him, refusing to acknowledge his presence. The captain sighed.

"Don't feel like talkin' today?" he asked awkwardly. I replied with a silent scowl that he couldn't see.

The captain sighed again. I thought he was going to attempt to start up another conversation, but I heard the footfalls of his leather boots echo down the drafty hallway and away from me.

I kept my food untouched, but Ruddiger slurped up the soup hungrily. In about a minute, it was all gone.

I shifted restlessly on my cot. I didn't know what to do- how to feel. I was upset one minute, angry at Rapunzel the next. But I had realized over the past day and a half that anger wouldn't get me anywhere. As much as I hated to admit it, my attack on the royal family was my mistake (it had landed me in the dungeons). The events that put me in that situation, however, were no fault of mine. I assured myself of this by thinking of how Rapunzel had those guards drag me out of the castle and abandon me in the fatal snowstorm.

Ruddiger leapt up onto my cot and began to sniff me, looking for more food. I chuckled to myself.

"I don't have more food on me, buddy," I said, scratching the raccoon's fur lovingly. Ruddiger enjoyed the palace food. The royal family had actually been feeding me- or rather, Ruddiger- very well. That didn't matter, though. Something as insignificant as food didn't make up for all they had done that hurt me. Besides, I had barely been in the mood for eating since my father got encased in the amber. Eating- or lack thereof- was the least of my concerns. Everything was a tangled-up mess- between the princess, my dad, my attack on the royal family, and the fact that I was in jail cell- nothing was as it should have been. Nothing was right.

"Nothing's right, Ruddiger," I picked up the raccoon and stared into his eyes. Mine began to brim with tears. Since the storm, I had always felt like my life was falling apart- or like it already had.

"You've _got_ to stay awake, Stan," a guard called down the dank hallway. Seconds later, a Coronan guard with a rather large handlebar mustache stumbled sleepily into view.

"I know, Pete, but the captain kept us up all night patrolling to make sure the kid didn't try and go anywhere. I'm so tired I feel like I'm going to fall over- right now," Stan complained. I assumed that the captain made the guards keep watch over the castle all night for automatons, monsters, and anything else he thought I might cook up.

"I know, so do I- but what the captain says goes. We have to guard the boy's cell until our lunch break," Pete replied. They came to my cell.

"Okay, Pete. So, uh, let's talk. To help stay awake." Stan said. I shifted my gaze to Pete's lanky form and grinned. He was sitting on the floor, fast asleep.

"Um… Pete… Pete?" Stan poked his sleeping comrade in the ribs, jolting him awake.

"Ow! What- what, ugh!" Pete exclaimed as he arose. His gold helmet was lopsided, and he didn't notice. Stan laughed at that.

"What… What is it?" asked Pete. Stan smiled at him.

"Nothin', Pete. You're really funny, you know that?" Stan chuckled. Pete turned his back to him, his helmet still sideways.

"I'm not _that_ funny. I mean, I make jokes sometimes, and I hit my funny _bone_ a lot, but I don't know if that would necessarily make _me_ funny- would that make me funny? I don't know. But my point is, I'm really not _that_ funny, Stan! I don't know if _funny_ is the defining trait someone should have, especially if that someone is looking for a girlfriend… By the way, that funny… I mean, someone- someone- is me, so.." he trailed off. Moments later, I heard snoring. Pete the guard was out cold, and Stan was slumped against my cell bars, soundly snoozing.

Suddenly, Ruddiger leapt from my hands. He scuttled across the cold floor to Stan's torso. He groped through the bars for something that was glinting just beyond the raccoon's reach. It was a ring of keys.

I gasped. There had to be a key to my cell on that thick ring with about two dozen keys on it- there just had to be.

"Hey- hey, buddy- let- let me get that," I stammered as I scrambled over to Ruddiger. I assumed Stan must have gotten promoted since he cast me out into the snowstorm, (maybe because of that, I thought bitterly) because he was now wearing a belt, which he hadn't been then. It was made of tough leather, and couldn't be snapped with the use of my hands- especially without waking him up. So how was I going to get those keys?

Suddenly, Stan groaned. Ruddiger and I instantly backed away from him. I was fearful that he would awaken and be suspicious of me. But he resumed his previous position in peaceful slumber after his sound.

I chewed the inside of my cheek as I scanned the cell for anything I could use to somehow retrieve the keys. I didn't see anything but a cot and those bars- and I had a feeling I was running out of time.

Then my gaze landed on the bowl that had held the soup the captain put in the cell. It was ceramic- the queen must have been feeling "generous". I smiled wickedly and- as silently as I could- broke the bowl on the floor. To my amazement, Pete and Stan didn't even twitch- the captain must have really exhausted them. Ruddiger jumped and began to make frightened chittering noises.

"Ssh! Ruddiger, it's okay!" I whispered. The shards of the bowl that littered the ground seemed eerily beautiful. I grabbed one and inched over to Stan. I took hold of his belt and gently pulled the leather towards me. I began to saw through the material with the cream-colored fragment. I did so quietly and very slowly.

The dark leather snapped. Luckily, I caught the keys before they hit the floor, so they made less noise. They jangled slightly as I pulled them into my cell, but Pete and Stan still didn't wake.

At that I let out a breath I didn't know I had been holding. Ruddiger looked at me, confused and a little bit scared. I grinned at him.

"It's okay,"I replied.

"It's okay,"

I pushed key after key into the lock, but they didn't work. My breathing grew quick and shallow as there became less and less keys to try. Soon, there was only one copper-hued key left. I took a deep breath and jammed the key into my cell lock. To my delight, the door opened.

Ruddiger stared at me expectantly.

"Come on, Ruddiger," I said, my face grim and determined. I scooped him up and placed his furry body on my shoulders.

"We're getting out of here."

I rushed down the luckily deserted hallway. I was on my way out of the palace, with Ruddiger still on my shoulders. He began to make excited sounds.

"Not now, Ruddiger," I hissed. We couldn't be seen.

Suddenly, a doorway I was rushing by caught my eye. I walked silently back to it. The doorway belonged to the royal throne room. I gazed inside.

King Frederic had told another lie. Worse than giving up on freeing my father, he hadn't even started. He was sitting on his gilded throne, massaging his temples as Queen Arianna laid her head on his shoulder sorrowfully. They were probably thinking of attempting to help my dad, but couldn't wrap their heads around the idea of actually doing something that would benefit people other than themselves- or their _little princess_. I sneered and soundly stepped away from the room.

The things that were unsaid made all the difference.

I walked into my dad's bedroom carefully as I examined the space. I had snuck past the guards at the castle gates by using Ruddiger as a distraction. Corona's defenders had drooled over the raccoon as I practically sauntered out of their view. It had been just to easy.

I had stolen a black cloak (to be lesser recognized once I arrived in Old Corona) from a stand full of them in Corona square by acting casual, rubbing dust from a road on my clothes, and partly covering my face with Ruddiger. Although most of Corona's people had never seen me in person, I had to be cautious. The last thing I needed was to be back in that degrading jail cell.

The room didn't have much inside it- it never had. Actually, there were really only three things in there: a bed, a chest, and a painting that took up the center of one of the bedroom's walls. I gazed at the painting, studying the woman in the picture. She looked calm and happy. I missed my mother so much. Her death had broken mine and my father's hearts. We had never truly recovered from it.

Now I had no parents.

I sighed and shifted my gaze from the portrait to the chest.

It was wooden, a light brown color, and was covered in dust. In the center of the lid, there was less dust- that revealed a comet-like symbol. It was a circle with three lines on the bottom of it.

I opened the chest and dug to its bottom through a sword, a helmet, a sack full of who knows what- most of the things in the trunk were items necessary for battle. But my gloved hand curled around something that seemed unlike the other things inside the box. It felt like a book.

I pulled it out of the box, a heavy cloud of dust enveloping me as I did so. I coughed, dropping the book. It opened to a page close to the end.

I scanned the text carefully. There was an image of a silver, shimmering sword on one page, scribbled words on the other.

"The ancient Buthweizerian sword-" I read aloud. Buthweizer was one of the seven kingdoms. I had never heard of any specific ancient sword from there, although their emblem was a sharp sword's blade, and they were famous for metalworking.

"-symbolizes strength, love, and perseverance. According to legend, it can break through any substance and overcome any obstacle," I continued on. Instantly, I thought of my father. If this sword had the power to break anything, it could free him!

I snapped the book shut and slid it into a pocket of my brown apron. Then I ran into my lab and grabbed my staff, Ruddiger following behind me. I didn't have any time to lose.

The kingdom of Buthweizer and its magical sword could make all the difference.


	3. A Day in the Lives of Three Travelers

**Hey, guys! Sorry I haven't updated in so long. I've been busy. :)**

Cass, Eugene, and I… Faced a problem. We stood on the edge of Corona, a few miles from entering the kingdom of Equis. Our dilemma was that we- or, rather, Eugene and I- needed to get through Equis without being noticed or recognized as the infamous former thief that severely pranked Equis (with the assistance of Corona's king), or as the princess of Corona. Being seen would cause unneeded trouble that we didn't want.

I bit my lip in concentration.

"We could… Disguise- that seems pretty solid, right?" I said, looking at Cassandra and Eugene. Before I could respond, though, I spoke again.

"Ugh, but then we'd have to pay for clothes… Then we'd be looked at for sure… What do we-"

"Raps," Cass cut me off. If we're going to do this- follow the rocks- then we need to break a couple of rules for survival. Eugene will steal us Equis clothes, since he's such a _master thief_ ," Cass smirked. "And we'll stuff your hair in a hat. We'll keep our heads down and get out of that silly kingdom as fast as we can,"

I wrinkled my nose in disgust. I didn't like the idea of stealing, but really, what other choice did I have? I sighed.

"Okay," I said. "It's fine,"

"You sure?" Eugene put a comforting hand on my shoulder.

"Yeah," I whispered, staring at the ground.

"Let's go."

"You ready?" Cassandra whispered to Eugene. He nodded curtly.

"Remember, three sets of clothes and a hat. A big hat," Cass said, looking at me. Although most of my hair was hidden by my dark Coronan cloak, she knew we were going to need a _very_ big hat.

"Got it," Eugene replied. He casually sauntered into the street, but was staring down. Cassandra and I watched his head of brown hair bob up and down amid the crowds of Equis citizens as he approached a clothing stand. A middle-aged man stood beside it, clearly the owner of the wares.

Eugene stood behind a dark cloak, so the man couldn't see his face as he spoke to him. Eugene nervously cleared his throat.

"That's a, um… A mighty fine… Uh… Cloak, you've got there,"

"Yes, son, I would have to agree, considering I sell the things," the man chuckled, shielding his eyes from the early morning sun with his large hand.

"Oh, ha, yeah, you would," Eugene replied awkwardly, running his fingers over a pair of beige bottoms.

"You want a cloak, son?" the man offered. "Only 6 gold pieces,"

Eugene gulped, then took a deep breath.

"Actually, sir, I would like two sets of women's clothes," Cassandra huffed in annoyance at this. She did _not_ want to wear a dress.

"And… A hat. The biggest one you got."

The man's turquoise eyes widened.

"That's a rather large order, son. You have the money for it?"

"Uhh… Uh… Yeah, I… Do," Eugene said, taking some gold-colored nuts from his pocket.

"Right here… I'll put it… Right here," Eugene put the nuts in the far corner of the stand.

The man turned around.

"Alright, son. I'll just count it up and see if I owe you any change… Huh?" He stared at the nuts.

"Boy! Come back here!" he yelled, causing everyone in the street to stare at the man blankly.

"Someone took off with my things!"

The people in the street started to chatter nervously, until two burly Equis guards barreled through the mass of citizens.

"He went… That way!" the man screeched as he wildly pointed further down the block. The guards instantly charged off in that direction.

"Come on, Raps. We got to go," Cassandra whispered to me, and grasped my arm.

We ran as fast as we could to Eugene. This wasn't very fast, though, because anxious townspeople were blocking our path.

"Oh, uh, sorry! Excuse me, I am _so_ sorry…" I stammered as I pushed through the seemingly endless crowd. As I scanned it, though, I didn't see Cassandra.

"Rapunzel, come on!" Cass yelledover people talking, as she pulled me through the human sea.

Cassandra and I dashed across an open Equis field, desperately searching for Eugene, Max, and Fidella. My breathing grew heavier with each step I took. Along with that, my worry for Eugene and the horses also grew greater.

But then, three blobs could just barely be seen from the distance.

"There they are," Cass said, as I rushed towards the blobs.

A few minutes later, I was hugging Eugene tightly.

"Oh," I gushed. "I was- we were- _so_ worried about you!"

"Hey, hey, I'm okay!" Eugene exclaimed, pushing some of my golden hair behind my ear. I smiled at him.

"The clothes didn't make it, though," Eugene said.

"That's fine," Cass replied. "We should be able to make it out of Equis without running into any more people."

"Good," I sighed, moving to mount Maximus. After I did, Eugene followed suit, sitting behind me. He kissed me lightly on the lips. Cassandra mounted Fidella.

"Let's go," she said, and we galloped away.

 _The sun was setting. We were perched on a grassy hill, staring at the land ahead. The three of us were on the edge of Equis, and the kingdom of Buthweizer lay before us. We were ready for more adventure._

 _Well, ready as we'd ever be._

 **So, just so you all know, the kingdom of Buthweizer is named after Budweiser, like Equis and Corona happen to be named after drinks. And, it's pronounced "Boothwizer".**


	4. Glimpses of Mystery

**Hey guys! I'm SO SORRY I haven't posted in so long. From now on, I'll try my best to keep my posts regular. Also, I'll try to not leave so much time in between them.**

 **Anywhoo, hope you enjoy this chapter! :)**

We walked across a plain in Buthweizer. I wriggled my toes in the lush grass. The last rays of sunlight dimly glowed from behind some vast hills in the west. It was really a beautiful sight, one that I wanted to paint, but I knew there wasn't any time. Eugene, Cassandra, and I had to make it to an inn of some sort before dark. We didn't feel very comfortable sleeping on the ground our first night outside of Corona. Luckily, some houses could be seen in the near distance.

"Come on, Fidella. Just a little more, girl. Just a little more," Cassandra urged her horse on. Fidella and Maximus had been trotting all day, and they were very tired. So was I. I blinked multiple times to try and keep myself awake.

"Uggghh, Cassandra, are we almost there?" Eugene mumbled sleepily. He loosened his grip on Max's reins, and slumped against the horse's neck.

"Look alive, Fitzherbert. We've got to keep going until we get to an inn," Cass said, poking Eugene in the ribs.

"Yeah, okay, got it," He tried to stay awake.

"Ugh, guys. We are almost there! Just- fine, I've got some coffee,"

"Thanks, Cass," I sighed as she handed me a canteen. I unscrewed the cap and downed some of the black liquid.

It was the most bitter thing I had ever tasted. I gagged at the flavor.

"I knew you wouldn't like it, Raps," Cassandra chuckled.

"But it'll keep you awake."

Eugene gulped some down, coughing as he did so.

"Uh, guys, we've got to move. It's almost dark," Cass told us.

"Uh-huh. Got it, Cass," I replied.

As we neared the houses, I began to feel more alert. The coffee must have been kicking in.

It wasn't light out anymore. In fact, it was so dark that I tripped over a stick of some sort. As I pitched forward, though, Eugene grabbed my waist and caught me.

"Ah, thanks, Eugene!" I exclaimed, kissing him on the cheek.

"Anytime, Blondie," Eugene's deep brown eyes stared into my green ones.

"Uh, guys, it's dark outside. We should be reaching the town in- well, very soon."

"Okay, the town is right here, Cassandra," I said.

"Well, come on then, let's go!" Eugene exclaimed.

Cassandra knocked on the door of a building. I held a lantern up to a sign above the door. It read: The Blue Moon Inn.

"That looks… Promising," I said.

Cassandra rapped on the wood door again, because no one had answered the first time. We waited a few seconds, and then heard footsteps coming to the inn's entrance. I tugged at my purple dress, and twirled a lock of my hair around my finger, trying to make myself look presentable.

An elderly woman opened the door, rubbing her eyes with small, withered hands. She had wiry silver curls, which were pulled up into a loose bun at the nape of her neck. She was tiny, and short, but somehow, gave the appearance of being strong, and not frail.

"Whatever you late-night peddlers are sellin', I don't want it," the woman grumbled drowsily.

I stepped up in front of Cassandra and Eugene.

"Umm… Sorry to bother you, ma'am, but… Could the three of us- have a room inside your inn?" I asked politely.

"Please, ma'am,"

The woman sighed.

"I think I have a room available… But I'm going to need to be paid."

I winced at that.

"Uhh… Well…" I didn't know what to say. It was the dead of night, Cass, Eugene, and I had no Buthweizerian currency, and despite the coffee I had drank, I just wanted to be in a warm bed.

The old woman looked at me skeptically.

"Payment?"

"Ha, Yeah... That..." I smiled weakly.

Cassandra walked up to me, and put a black-gloved hand on my shoulder.

"Excuse me, ma'am, but she is visiting royalty. Princess Rapunzel of Corona,"

"Really?" the elderly woman asked, unbelieving.

"Uh-huh," I said, and showed her my hair, which was caught up with red flowers.

"That explains why you look like a yellow blob," the woman muttered under her breath. Cass and I exchanged questioning looks.

"There's a stable around back for your horses," the woman told us.

"I'll take them there, Blondie," Eugene said, warmly smiling at me. I grinned lovingly back.

Cassandra and I stepped into the inn, the old woman in front of us.

"Your room is the third one on the second floor," she said, fumbling for something as she did so. I was about to ask her what she was looking for, but before I could, she donned a pair of rust-brown rimmed glasses.

"There- that's better," the woman said. Her poor eyesight must have been the reason why she thought I looked like a yellow blob before.

"Okay, um… Thank you, miss?"

"Marie. Marie," the woman- Marie- said.

"Thank you, Marie," I replied in a grateful tone.

"Yeah, yeah, run along, princess. Get to bed so I can do the same." Marie muttered rudely.

"Alright, I will," I said. Cass rolled her eyes at Marie, as Pascal scowled at her from on my shoulder. She had her back to them, though, and didn't see.

"I don't like that woman," Cassandra stated crudely, as we walked up the creaking wooden stairs of Marie's inn. The steps were covered only by a thin, threadbare carpet. I made sure to tread carefully, because I didn't want any splinters.

"I don't really think you should judge her, Cass. Give her some time, get to know her," I replied. Cassandra opened her mouth to shoot something back at me , when Eugene came running up the stairs.

"Hey, Blondie!" he said, slightly out of breath.

"Eugene, why were you running? Is something wrong?" I asked, scared for a moment.

"What? No! I just wanted to get away from that old lady as soon as possible! She's mean," he said in a jovial voice, giving me a peck on the cheek.

"So, which room's ours?" Eugene asked as we reached the top of the staircase.

"Third one down this hall," Cass answered in a monotone voice as she found the door.

"Nuh-uh-uh, _Cassandra_ ," Eugene smirked. "I've got to check for bugs."

"I can do that," Cass said, as she struggled to reach the doorknob that Eugene was blocking.

The two bickered for a few moments longer before I interjected.

"Guys, why don't we _all_ just go in. We're wasting time, and I'm tired."

"Fine," Cass muttered as she grasped the rusty door handle.

"Um, Blondie, maybe you shouldn't go in. Not until it's been checked. The last thing we need is bugs crawling in that hair of yours," Eugene told me.

"Okay, you're right. You and Cass go in, and I'll wait out here," I sighed. All I wanted to do was sleep!

I fiddled with the flowers in my hair as I waited for Cass and Eugene to let me in the room. I heard sheets being rumpled and drawers being opened behind the door. I heard Cassandra call, "Hey, Eugene, look! It's a giant tarantula!" in an excited and fascinated voice. This was met by a yelp from Eugene before Cass commented that the "tarantula" was a wad of yellowed parchment under one of the beds.

"They really enjoy torturing each other, don't they?" I said to Pascal. He grinned and nodded at me.

I scanned the hallway I was standing in. Doors to other rooms lined the walls, which opened into another hall further down, making the space look like a capital letter t.

I hummed quietly to myself, and wondered if the room Cass and Eugene were in had a window. If it did, I wondered what the view was. I hoped it was of a beautiful nearby field, perfect for painting a picture of. Or, I thought, maybe it was a peaceful and lovely forest view, with a cerulean river coursing through the land.

I was pulled out of my thoughts as I looked up to see an Asian woman with bright white hair done up at her head staring at me. One half of her face was painted a brilliant red, and she was dressed in warrior garb. Her dark eyes locked gaze with my green ones, and somehow, the woman looked as if she knew me. As we stared at each other silently, I wondered who she was.

Just then, the doorknob rattled on the door to the third room down the hall- the one Cass and Eugene were in. As it turned, the mysterious warrior woman winked at me. She rushed down a hall, leaving me awestruck.

"Blondie, the room's all checked- there are no _tarantulas_ in there," Eugene spoke the last bit through gritted teeth, glaring at Cassandra. She stifled a chuckle.

Eugene walked over to my shocked form.

"Rapunzel?" he spoke, placing a strong hand on my shoulder.

"Are you okay?" Concern was in his voice.

"What? Yeah, I'm fine, Eugene," I replied, holding his hand.

"Did something happen? Tell me, Rapunzel, I want to know-"

"It was nothing, Eugene," I told him in a soothing tone.

"Don't worry, I'm fine," Eugene and I stood together for a moment, in which there was a still silence.

Then Cassandra interrupted that silence.

"Uh, I don't mean to spoil the moment, but… Do you guys want to _sleep_ , by any chance?" she said, yawning. "Because I do."

"Okay, yeah. Let's head to bed. Come on, Blondie," Eugene beckoned me inside the room as Cass opened the door.

The room wasn't very big. It had drab, brown walls, and two plain beds. There was a measly vanity, with a scratched and grimy mirror. There was a small conjoining bathroom- so small that it made me wince.

"It's… Homey," I said unconvincingly, taking in the room.

"It's not ideal, but it'll have to do," Cass sighed. As she did, I walked out onto the room's balcony- it had a balcony! Just that seemed to make up for the inside of the room.

The view wasn't of a forest with a river, or of a beautiful field. The balcony overlooked a town, and through the darkness of the night, I could make out several shops and houses. As Cassandra had said, it wasn't ideal, but it would have to do. And anyway, since the view was of a town, I could sketch and admire Buthweizerian architecture, and people-watch during the day.

"So, since there's only one bed… Do you want to…" Cass trailed off.

"Uh, I think I'll go in the same bed as Rapunzel, Cass," Eugene told her.

"If that's okay with her," he said. There was a pause.

"Rapunzel?" Eugene asked.

"Huh? What? Uh- yeah, that's… That's fine," I stammered. I had been thinking of the mysterious woman.

"Rapunzel? Are you _sure_ everything's alright?" Cassandra questioned as she absentmindedly chewed on a mint leaf she had retrieved from a pouch on her belt.

"Yes, guys, I'm okay! I'm fine! Stop making such a fuss over me!" I snapped. As soon as I did, however, I wished I hadn't. I was just immensely tired, just as Cass and Eugene were.

A short while later, I sat on the edge of one of the beds while Cass took the flowers from my hair. I guessed it was about two o'clock in the morning, and all I wanted to do was sleep. Before I knew it, my eyes had drooped closed.

"Rapunzel, Rapunzel," Cass whispered, gently shaking me.

"Climb into bed," she cooed calmly. I sleepily obliged. Eugene laid beside me. I placed Pascal on the edge of a pillow and snuggled on my side. My eyes fluttered peacefully closed. I was-

"Aw, come on! Does the frog _have_ to be in the bed?" Eugene loudly whispered, in a rather nasal tone.

I sighed. "Eugene…" I turned to face him.

"Okay, okay! I was only kidding!" He took my hand in his.

"It's just… Well, I don't want to bother you- I know you're very, very tired, but… Are you sure nothing happened back there, in the hallway?"

"Umm… Eugene, it was…" I debated telling him about the warrior with the half-painted face. Then I decided against it. Doing so would only worry Eugene and Cassandra, and make them fawn over me more. Besides, the woman had looked as if she had known me from somewhere, which intrigued me, since I didn't know her at all. And I knew Eugene didn't appreciate me keeping things from him, but I felt that I alone had to figure out what the warrior woman wanted with me, if she wanted anything. This just didn't seem like something that Eugene (and Cassandra too) had to be bothered with.

"It was nothing," I whispered, as I lovingly caressed Eugene's face. Maybe I'd tell him about the mysterious woman later, after I'd dealt with her.

"I know there's something you're not telling me," Eugene started twirling a lock of my long blond hair around his finger.

"But whatever it is, I'm sure you've got your reasons for keeping it to yourself. I'm going to be honest, it bothers me, the secrets thing again- but I trust you, Rapunzel. I just want you to know that I'm here for you if you need me." He sighed.

"I know you are. Trust me, it's nothing you need to concern yourself with," I told him. There was a still silence between us.

"You're so beautiful. You know that, Blondie?" he whispered wistfully.

"I love you," I whispered back. Our lips touched.

Minutes later, Eugene was softly snoring beside me, holding my hand. I admired his perfect fingers. As I drifted off to sleep, I thought about the mysterious woman. Her half-red face, dark eyes, and bright hair hovered in my mind. If she was a good or bad omen, I didn't yet know.


End file.
